Britain To Give $1.6B To Global Fund Over Next 3 Years If $15B Replenishment Goal Reached

Sep 24, 2013

“Britain has announced that it is giving one billion pounds, or $1.6 billion, to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria over the next three years and hopes the money will lead to ‘some incredible results,'” the Associated Press/Washington Post reports. “International Development Secretary Justine Greening made the announcement to loud applause Monday at a luncheon [in New York] sponsored by the United Nations Foundation focusing on U.N. anti-poverty and development goals,” the news service writes (9/23). “The £1 billion investment will fund lifesaving antiretroviral therapy for 750,000 people living with HIV, 32 million more insecticide-treated nets to prevent the transmission of malaria and TB treatment for more than a million people,” according to the Press Association/The Guardian (9/24). “The U.K.’s allocation to the Global Fund will save a life every three minutes for the next three years and will dramatically improve the lives of millions of people,” a U.K. government press release states (9/23).

The Global Fund “said earlier this month it needs $15 billion over the next three years,” Reuters notes, adding, “Britain’s pledge, which is dependent on other donors dedicating enough to reach the $15 billion goal, is the second-largest by any government so far” (Kelland, 9/23). “The fund began a series of meetings with donors in April to kick off its fourth replenishment round, which is due to conclude with a pledging conference in December,” The Guardian notes (Ford, 9/24). “The fresh assistance makes the U.K. the largest donor after the U.S., which is seeking congressional approval for $1.65 billion for [FY] 2014, and ahead of France, which has traditionally been the second largest supporter and may still increase its contribution,” the Financial Times writes (Jack, 9/23). “The Global Fund is the world’s biggest financer of programs to prevent, treat and care for people with HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria,” The Independent notes, adding, “The U.K. was a founding donor, and committed £1 billion from 2008 to 2015, a grant which the new funding commitment renews” (Cooper, 9/23).